Window regulator with variable counterbalance



Nov. 14, 1950 w|TMER 2,529,986

WINDOW REGULATOR WITH VARIABLE COUNTERBALANCE Filed June 12, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGURE l.

INVENTOR. PAUL B. WITMER ATTEI R N EYS Nov. 14, 1950 P. B. WITMER 2,529,985

WINDOW REGULATOR WITH VARIABLE COUNTERBALANCE Filed June 12, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGURE 2 INVENTOR.

PAUL a. WITMER A'ITDRN EYS Nov. 14, 1950 P; B. WIT-MER 2,529,986

" wmnow REGULATOR wrm VARIABLE COUNTERBALANCE 7 Filed June 12, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGURE 3 IFIGURE 4 1 ////m "cc:

INVENTOR.

PAUL WITMER geazm a Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED OFFICE WINDOW REGULATOR WITH VARIABLE COUNTERBALANCE Paul Baker Witmer, Lancaster, Pa.

Application June 12, 1945, Serial No. 599,072

8 Claims.

My present invention, in its broad aspect, has reference to improvements in window opening and closing devices for automobile windows, and it is my purpose to provide an opening and closing device which will be actuated merely by pressing either one of a pair of buttons handily situated with reference to the operation, one button for opening the window, and the other button for closing the window. The actual leverage to accomplish the work of opening and closing is obtained by shifting the balance between the weight of the window or pane and certain operating mechanism, and an adjustable pivoted counterbalancing weight slidably mounted on an arm and which exerts less effective leverage than the window or pane when it is closest to its fulcrum, and more effective leverage than the window or pane when it is furthest from its fulcrum, thereby to cause the window to rise and fall merely by shifting the fulcrum of the counterbalancing weight which is accomplished by the buttons and certain improved operating mechanism. I also provide an improved means for latching the window in open or closed position, and improved means for causing the window to operate evenly, steadily, and without shock and J'ar. My device is simple in construction and has no parts likely to get out of order or become broken or deranged, and is practical and eflicient and may be installed with conventional automobile windows and doors.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, and it is pointed out that changes in form, size, shape, materials, and construction and arrangement of parts is permissible and within the purview of my broad inventive concept, and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention Figure 1 is a View of an automobile frame and window with covering parts removed to show the mechanical details of my device.

Figure 2 is a detail view of the operating mechanism of my device.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like or similar parts The numeral 1 designates an automobile body frame or panel, with a window pane 2 slidably mounted therein. As will be noted, the pane is designed to move up and down and has a frame 3. To steady and even the operation of the pane,

I provide a cog A on each lower corner of the mounted on shafts 8, 9 and Ill carried by the plate 8 are cogs II and I2 which intermesh, and a segmental gear I3 meshing with cog I2. Cog I I carries a lever arm I I, the end of which has a pin slidable in the slot IA of plate I. Cog I2 is essentially a reversing cog so that the direction of rotation of cog II and segmental gear I3 is the same. The segmental gear l3 has an outstanding arm l5 which is longitudinally slotted as at I5A to slidably mount a counterbalancing weight I6. The weight has a pin I'I slidable in the slot 55A .to which is attached one end of the arm I8 and its other end pivoted by a pin I9 to a second segmental gear 20 which is also mounted on the pin I0 but is independent in movement of the first segmental gear I3 connected to the arm supporting the weight. It will be noted that the point of connection of the shaft is with the segmental gear 20 is eccentric so that upon rotation of gear 20 the weight is shifted from one end to the other of the arm thereby changing the fulcrum or effective leverage of the weight. In practice, when the weight I6 is closest to the point of rotation of gear I3 its effective leverage is less than that exerted by the weight of the pane and frame and lever arm on the cog II. As the weight is moved toward the end of the arm, its effective leverage increases overcoming and exceeding that of the pane, frame and lever arm. This is essential; the principle on which my invention operates. To shift the weight on the arm I5 and to otherwise accomplish the purposes of my invention, I provide a vertical rod 2I pivoted at its lower end as at 22 to a latch arm 23 which is pivoted to the plate 6 as at 24. The end 25 in the form of a pawl and of the latch arm 23 is adapted to engage and form a stop for movement of the cog I I when the window is closed. The upper end of the rod 2| is beveled as at 26, or angled, to be engaged by the beveled end 27 of a pin 28 carried by a button 29. A second vertical rod 30 is provided with a slot 3| through which a pin 32 connects it with the plate 6. A finger 33 extends out from the side of the rod 30 to engage the opposite end of latch arm 23 to trip the latch upon longitudinal movement of the rod 30. It will be seen that both rods 2| and 30 are mounted for limited vertical longitudinal movement. The upper end of rod 30 is beveled as at 30A, or angled, and is engaged by the beveled end 3013 of a pin 300 connected with a button 3 3. A pair of spiral springs 35 and 36 are connected with the plate at one end as at El and with the respective rods 2i and 30 at the other to normally hold the rods at their extreme upper position. A bracket 31 carries the buttons 29 and 34. The lower end of the rod 30 has rack teeth 3|A which are always engaged with the segmental gear 20. Upon pressing the button 34, rod 30 is moved down, rotating the segmental gear 20, and through arm [3 shifts the counterbalancing weight I6 through pin ll. At the same time, the finger 33 engages latch arm 23 to trip the same and release the pawl 25 from the cog II, whereupon the weight being moved toward the outer end of the arm exerts more leverage than the weight of the window pane, frame, and levers so that the window is moved to a closed position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Upon release of the button 36, after the window has been closed, the spring 36 will return the rod 30 upward to its original position and in moving to this position, it will slide the weight it near to the shaft it as shown in Figure 1. Upon pressing the other button 29, rod 2| is forced down releasing the pawl 25 from the cog ii allowing the weight of the weight to overcome the weight of the window pane, frame and lever to lower the window to its lowered position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the operation and advantages of my invention will be apparent, but it is again pointed out that interpretation of its scope should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. An operating device for a window, comprising a first gear and a second gear, a lever means connected with said first gear and carrying the window, an arm on said second gear, a counterbalance weight slidably mounted on the arm, a third gear between said first and second gears adapted to rotate aid first and second gears in the same direction, means for sliding said counterbalancing weight on said arm, whereby to change its effective leverage with reference to the leverage exerted by the weight of the window whereby the window is opened and closed, said means including a first rod, a rack on said rod and a segmental gear means eccentrically connected with the weight and meshing with said rack, a second rod, and a latching means adapted to engage one of said gears to lock the same against rotation, said latching means pivotally connected to said second rod.

2. An operating device for a window, comprising a base plate, shafts on said base plate, first and second gears mounted on the said shafts, a lever means connected with said first gear and carrying the window, said second gear being of segmental formation and an arm on said second gear, longitudinally extending slots in said. arm, a pin slidably mounted in the slot, a counterbalance weight mounted on said pin in sliding relation to said arm, the third gear between said first and second gear is adapted to rotate said first and second gears in the same direction, means for sliding said counterbalance weight on said arm, whereby to change its efiective leverage with reference to the leverage exerted by the weight of the window whereby the window is opened and closed, said means including a first rod, a rack on said rod and a segmental gear means eccentrically connected with the weight and meshing with said rack, a second rod, and a latch means adapted to engage one of said gears' to lock the same against rotation, said latching means pivotally connected to said second rod.

3. An operating device for a window, comprising a base plate, shafts on said base plate, a first gear and a second gear mounted on said shafts, a lever means connected with said first gear and carrying the window, and said second gear being of segmental formation and an arm on said second gear, a counterbalance weight slidably mounted on the arm, a third gear between said first and second gears adapted to rotate said first and second gears in the same direction, means for sliding said counterbalance weight on said arm, whereby to change its effective leverage with reference to the leverage exerted by the weight of the window whereby the window is opened and closed, said means including a first rod, a rack on said rod and a segmental gear means eccentrically connected with the weight and meshing with said rack, and the shaft mounting said second gear adapted to mount said last mentioned segmental gear for independent rotation of the gears with relation to each other, link means connecting said second mentioned segmental gears with the weight of sliding the weight on said arm, a second rod, and a latching means adapted to engage one of said gears to lock the same against rotation, said latching means pivotally connected to said second rod.

4. An operating device for a window, comprising a first gear and a second gear, a lever means connecting to said first gear and carrying the Window, said window having a longitudinally slotted plate attached thereto and said lever is slidably and pivotally connected to the plate, an arm on said second gear, counterbalance weight slidably mounted on the arm, a third gear between said first and second gear adapted to rotate said first and second gear in the same direction, means for sliding said counterbalancing weight on said arm, whereby to change its effective leverage with reference to the leverage exerted by the weight of the window whereby the window is opened and closed, said means including a first rod, a rack on said rod and a segmental gear means eccentrically connected with the weight and meshing with said rack, a second rod, and a latch means adapted to engage one of said gears to lock the same against rotation, said latching means pivotally connected to said second rod.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein a spring is connected with each rod to return the rod to normal position upon closing of the Window.

6. An operating device for a window, comprising a lever pivotally and slidably connected with the Window, a counterbalancing weight, an arm on which said weight is slidably mounted, a gear connected with the lever, a segmental gear connected with the weight, a gear intermeshing with said aforementioned gears whereby the leverage exerted by the weight is balanced against the leverage exerted by the weight of the window, and means for sliding the weight for changing its effective leverage with respect to the window whereby to open and close the window.

'7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein the means for sliding the weight includes a push button having a beveled pin, a slidable rod having a beveled end contacting the beveled pin, said rod having a rack gear means engaging said rack and an eccentric arm connecting said gear means with the weight.

8. An operating device for a window comprising a frame adapted to receive a reciprocatory window, a base plate secured to said frame, a first gear means, a second gear means, means pivotally mounting said first and second gear means on said base plates, an outstanding arm attached to said first gear means, a weight slidable on said outstanding arm, a link pivotally secured to said second gear means and said weight whereby rotation of the former reciprocates the latter relative to said outstanding arm, a third gear means pivoted on said base plate, means interconnecting said first and third gear means, a plate adapted to support the window and having a longitudinal slot therein, a lever arm attached to said third gear means and having a pin means slidable in the longitudinal slot of said plate whereby oscillation of said lever arm will reciprocate the window, a first and a second operating means, means connecting said first operating means with said second gear means for actuating the same and a latch means connected to said second operating means and adapted to engage one of said gear means for releasably blocking the same.

PAUL BAKER WITMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,045,195 Mays June 23, 1936 

